5 minute read
Million-Dollar Dreams
PHOTO COURTESY OF IDAHO BARKERY
Boise Startup Week Shapes the Next Big Thing
BY CHELSEA CHAMBERS
The stakes are high and the competition is fierce. But the level of support for one another abounds as presenters take the stage. Each year, the best of the best gather for Boise Entrepreneur Week (BEW). What started out as a very small community event in 2017, known as Boise Startup Week, has evolved to become the largest entrepreneurial event in Idaho.
“Boise Entrepreneur Week is a driving force in growing Idaho’s startup community,” said Tiam Rastegar, Trailhead CEO and Boise Entrepreneur Week co-chair.
“Our pitch competitions are designed to showcase our entrepreneurial talent and provide substantial financial support to the most promising ventures. This year, BEW will surpass a milestone of $1,000,000 awarded to Idaho entrepreneurs since the event’s inception in 2017.”
Boise Entrepreneur Week is comprised of thousands of participants who present in 12 categories, including Health Tech, Cyber, Food, Youth, Corporate Innovation, Military, and more. Over the course of the week, the thousands are whittled down to a small handful of finalists.
Donald Young, Rattler Medical
LIFEHOLD COLD WHOLE BLOOD COOLER
An Idaho native, Donald Young was born and raised in Pocatello with his three younger sisters. They grew up camping on the weekends, developing a fondness for the Gem State’s unique landscapes and natural spaces.
During his time at Century High School, Young found himself in an EMT course that sparked his love for emergency medicine. “After graduation, I joined the Idaho National Guard as a Combat Medic,” Young shared. “That fall, I headed to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for basic training, followed by advanced training at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. During my service, I had the opportunity to work closely with tankers, cavalry scouts, snipers, infantry, and other specialized groups. I participated in two training rotations at Fort Irwin, California, and completed overseas missions in both Thailand and Romania. These experiences not only deepened my skills in emergency medicine but also shaped my ability to adapt and thrive in high-pressure environments.”
Rattler Medical was born from Young’s personal journey and experiences in combat medicine. After 12 years in highintensity healthcare, he learned what was essential and what could substantially improve experiences in these austere and unpredictable situations.
“I witnessed how critical it is to have durable, reliable medical equipment that can perform under extreme conditions—truly the difference between life and death,” he said. “A pivotal moment came during my time in the field
when one of the units I was with was preparing for a deployment. We wanted to carry whole blood on missions to save lives in real time, but the best I could manage at the time was one or two units for about 18 hours. That simply wasn’t sufficient for the demands we were facing.”
Enter: LifeHold Whole Blood Cooler, a portable, battery-powered device “designed to transport whole blood efficiently in challenging environments.” Young’s innovative and life-saving design won him the Grand Prize for this year’s competition, although this was not his first round at BEW. “This was my third year attending, and I plan to keep going for years to come. I can’t recommend BEW enough for developing skills and expanding knowledge,” he said.
Sabrina Sherwood, Idaho Barkery
GOURMET DOG TREATS
Boise-born and raised, Sabrina Sherwood holds a doctorate in pharmacy and is both a lover of dogs and the outdoors. Like many Idahoans, Sherwood and her husband (and business partner!) Brendon spend their free time exploring Idaho’s mountains with their dogs Rocky and Olive. In fact, it was Rocky who inspired their entrepreneurial spirits.
Rocky suffers from a variety of allergies and intolerances, and as such, was unable to enjoy traditional store-bought treats. As any loving dog parents would do, they started a full-fledged business and made their own treats from natural ingredients. “This business started out of necessity to give my dog a treat he could tolerate, but became a business when our friends started expressing similar needs,” she said. “It became apparent that there was a hole for this kind of dog treat in the market. I quickly found that Boise is a rapidly growing community with only a few local dog treat businesses. This ultimately gave me the confidence to launch Idaho Barkery!”
This year’s Trailmix competition winner, Sherwood is proud to share that “Idaho Barkery is the only local, hypoallergenic, plantbased dog treat product line. We use all natural, organic, grain free/gluten free ingredients—only the best for our besties!”
With a BEW win under their belt, Idaho Barkery plans to expand their reach to dog lovers across the state and beyond. Currently in over 60 partner locations, the treats will soon be made available at the Broadway Marketplace Albertsons. And it’s only up from there!
Sherwood sings BEW’s praises, touting it as a genuinely life-changing experience. “The mentorship I received truly changed my perspective on my business and my capabilities as an owner,” she said.
BEW 2025’s event is in the planning stages. Do you have what it takes to be the next winning pitch? From life-saving medical equipment to life-changing dog treats and everything in between—what will be funded next?
